This is Star Wars
Blasters; X-Wing Starfighters; Lightsabers; Clone Troopers; The Force... Star Wars is space fantasy at it's best, full of action, adventure, and a sense of wonder. The heroes are larger than life. The villains are utterly evil. The universe has a lived-in, well-used look and feel to it. It's a familiar story, but it's never been told quite this way before. It has mythic elements that speak to the heart of the audience. It's epic in scope; everything appears on a grand scale. And it's fun. Vehicles move very fast. Things blow up. We want to cheer for the good guys and boo the bad guys. And sometimes, we want to be part of that faraway galaxy. This is a Roleplaying Game It's a game of your imagination, where you get to tell stories by taking on roles of the main characters- characters you create. It's a game that offers a multitude of choices to those characters- more choices than even the most sophisticated computer game, because the only limit to what you can do is what you can imagine. The story is like a movie, except all of the action takes place in your imagination. There's no script to the movie (Other than a rough outline used by the Gamemaster); you decide what your character says and does. The Gamemaster is the director and special effects designer, deciding what the story is about and taking on the roles of all the other characters- the villains, the extras, the special guest stars. The Gamemaster also keeps track of the rules, interprets the outcome of actions, and describes what happens. Together, players and Gamemaster create a story, and everybody has a great time. This is the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Combine the fabulous elements of the Star Wars universe with the imagination-powered engine of a roleplaying game, and the faraway galaxy draws nearer. Everything you need is in this Wikia Guide except for the dice. Check out The Basics (Below), to get an idea of the fundamentals of the game. When you're ready, check the other sections of this Wikia. It offers a wealth of options, allowing you to play in any Star Wars era. It lets you play the good guys, the bad guys, or the guys in between if you want to add a little ambiguity to an otherwise black-and-white universe. When you play the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, you create a unique fictional character that lives in the imaginations of you and your friends. One person in the game, the Gamemaster (GM), controls the villains and other people who live in the Star Wars universe. Through your characters, you and your friends face the dangers and explore the mysteries that your Gamemaster sets before you. Anything is possible in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. You can have your character try anything you can think of. If it sounds good and the dice fall in your favor, the action succeeds. The Basics (Below) has more details. Now, get ready. It's a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. And may The Force be with you. Enjoy! The Basics A long time ago in a galaxy far. far away... With this compelling phrase, every Star Wars film thunders onto the screen. These epic movies enthrall us with a mix of space fantasy, high adventure, and mythology. We thrill to the adventures of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. We imagine ourselves piloting X-Wing Starfighters down the Death Star trench or engaging in fight-to-the-death lightsaber duels with Darth Maul, Count Dooku, or General Grievous. With the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, you can experience this epic saga in a whole new way. Imagine yourself as a Jedi in training, or a Republic Senator, a brave Starfighter Pilot, or a powerful Wookiee. Whether you want to be a player or the Gamemaster, this Wikia is your portal to the action-packed Star Wars galaxy. Characters Your characters are the stars of the movie, the main characters in the game. We sometimes refer to them as "Heroes," not in the "Good Guy" sense per se, but in the sense of the main protagonists of the story. Each character's imaginary life is different. Your character might be... * A tough blaster for hire. * A Padawan learner seeking to gain power in The Force. * A brash starfighter pilot. * A gambler looking to make the next big score. * A grizzled spacer making a living on the space lanes. * A smuggler with a heart of gold. * A young senator from a prosperous world. * A Rebel spy. * A Jedi Knight wielding a lightsaber in defense of the Republic. * A galactic scout exploring the hyperspace lanes. * A soldier trained for war in the Outer Rim. * Or any other kind of character you can imagine. What you need to Play Here's what you need to start playing the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: * Access to this Wikia Guide, which tells you how to create and play your character. * A printed out Character Sheet. * A pencil and scratch paper. * One or two four-sided dice (d4), four or more six-sided dice (d6), an eight-sided die (d8), two ten-sided dice (d10), a twelve-sided die (d12), and a twenty-sided die (d20). * A miniature sized to fit your battle map to represent your character. * A battle map with 1-inch squares to put your miniature on. Players should read the sections Character Creation, Talents, Skills, Feats, and Equipment. The other sections are for experienced players for special choices (Such as viewing the Droids section to create a Droid Hero), and for the Gamemaster, to provide advice for running a game, opponents to throw at the players' characters, and a few starting points for adventures. Dice The rules abbreviate dice rolls with phrases such as "4d6 + 2," which means "Four six-sided dice plus 2" (Generating a number between 6 and 26). The first number tells you how many dice to roll (All of which are added together), the number after the "d" tells you what type of dice to use, and any number after that indicates a quantity that is added or subtracted from the result. Some examples: * 3d6: 'Three six-sided dice, generating a number from 3 to 18. This is the amount of damage that a Blaster Pistol deals. * '''2d8: '''Two eight-sided dice, generating a number from 2 to 16. This is the amount of damage that a Lightsaber deals in the hands of a 1st-level Jedi. The Three Eras of Play The ''Star Wars Roleplaying Game supports adventures and campaigns set in many different eras, three of which are described in detail (With additional eras detailed through add-ons). You can set your campaign in the time of the prequel movies (Episode I-III). Known as the Rise of the Empire era, this is a period when the Republic's power is waning, war grips the galaxy, and the Jedi Council still holds sway over ten thousand Jedi Knights. This time period pre-dates the Empire but includes the tumultuous Clone Wars. Or, you can go forward in time to the classic period of galactic civil war and play in the Rebellion era, when the power of the Empire is supreme and those capable of using The Force are few and far between. This is the time described in the original Star Wars films (Episodes IV-VI). Or, jump to a time twenty years after the battle of Endor and participate in the events surrounding the invasion of the galaxy. Aliens from beyond the edge of known space have begun an incursion into the New Republic as forces conspire to threaten the hard-won peace in the era of The New Jedi Order (As described in the Del Ray Books novel series). In addition, the rules in this Wikia Guide can be used to support campaigns set in other eras. For example, in the distant past the Jedi and Sith warred for the fate of the galaxy, as described in Dark Horse Comics' Tales of the Jedi and Knights of the Old Republic series, as well as the Knights of the Old Republic video game series. Alternatively, you may choose to set your game in the Legacy era, as popularized in the Dark Horse Comics' Legacy series: Forty years after The New Jedi Order era, the Empire has once again risen to power and the Sith have regained control of the galaxy. Although these time periods are not explicitly covered in this book, the rules herein can be used as a basis for play in these eras. The Core Mechanic The Star Wars Roleplaying Game uses a core mechanic to resolve all actions. This central game rule keeps play fast and intuitive. Whenever you want to attempt an action that has some chance of failure, you roll a twenty-sided die (Or "d20"). To determine whether your character succeeds at a task (Such as an attack or the use of a Skill), you do this: # Roll a d20. # Add any relevant modifiers. # Compare the result to the target number. If the result equals or exceeds the target number (Set by the GM or given in the rules), your character succeeds at the task at hand. If the result is lower than the target number, you fail. The Gamemaster When you play the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, you're participating in an interactive story. Players take on the roles of unique characters, called heroes. One player serves as the Gamemaster, a combination director, narrator, and referee. The GM describes situations, asks the players what their characters want to do, and resolve these actions according to the rules of the game. The GM sets each scene, keeps the story moving, and takes on the roles of the opponents and other characters that the players' heroes encounter in each adventure. If you're the GM, you should read through all sections of this Wikia; you don't need to memorize it, but you need to have an idea of where to find things once play begins. Heroes If you're a player, you take the role of a hero- one of the "Stars" of the Star Wars saga that you, the other players, and the GM all help to develop. You create your character with the help of the game rules that follow, according to your own vision for the hero you want to play. As your character participates in adventures, he or she gains experience Points (XP) that help him or her improve and become more powerful. Game Play This overview gives you enough of the basics to get a feel for how this roleplaying game works. The main sections take these basic concepts and expand upon them. 'Important! '''You don't have to memorize the contents to play the game. It's a game, not homework. Once you understand the basics, start playing! Use this Wikia as a reference during play. When in doubt, stick to the basics, keep playing, and have fun. You can always look up an obscure rule after your game session ends, but remember that you don't have to sweat the details in the middle of play. Rolling Dice We've already explained the basic rule that forms the foundation of the game- rolling a d20, add a modifier, and try to get a result that's equal to or greater than the target number. Whenever your character tries to accomplish something significant, the GM asks you to roll a d20. '''Important! '''Not every action requires a die roll. Roll dice in combat and other dramatic situations when the success of an action is in doubt. The d20 is used to determine results in combat and when making skill checks and ability checks. In other words, the d20 determines whether or not you succeed at an action. The other dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12) are used to determine what happens after you succeed. Usually, the other dice come into play after making a successful attack roll to determine how much damage the attack deals to the target. A Game Session In the ''Star Wars Roleplaying Game, the Gamemaster and players get together to tell a story through the play of the game. We call these group-created stories "Adventures." A Star Wars adventure features plenty of action, lots of opportunities for combat, cool villains, epic plots, and a sense or wonder and grandeur. Typically, the game consists of adventures that resemble episodes in the movie saga. One adventure might play out in a single game session; another might stretch across several sessions of play. A session can last as long as you're comfortable playing, from as short as one hour to a 12-hour marathon. Most groups get together and play for two to four hours at a time. The game can be stopped at any time and restarted when the players get back together. Each adventure consists of interrelated scenes. A scene might feature some kind of challenge or roleplaying encounter, or it could revolve around combat. When there's no combat going on, play is more causal. The GM describes the scene and asks the players what their characters do. When combat breaks out, game play becomes more structured, and the action takes place in rounds. What Characters can Do A character can try to do anything you can imagine, just so long as it fits the scene the GM describes. Depending on the situation, your character might want to: * Listen at a door * Use a computer terminal * Explore a location * Converse with an alien * Bargain with a merchant * Intimidate a thug * Talk to an ally * Pilot a vehicle * Search for a clue * Bluff an official * Repair an item * Swing across a repulsorlift shaft * Move * Duck behind a bulkhead * Attack an opponent Characters accomplish these things by making skill checks, ability checks, or attack rolls, all or which entail a modified d20 roll. What's Next? If you're new to roleplaying games, you might be wondering how to proceed. After you've read over these basics to get an understanding, check out the Sample Roleplaying Session (Below). This example of play provides some insight into how a roleplaying game session plays out. Then review the first few sections of this Wikia (Notably Abilities, Species, Classes, Skills, and Heroic Traits). When you're ready, use the Character Creation overview (Below) and a printed copy of a Character Sheet to create a character. When you, your Gamemaster, and the other players are ready, start playing! Setup After you've created a hero, get together with the rest of your gaming group for your first adventure. Prior to this, the GM has developed a storyline for the adventure. They might buy a complete, ready to play adventure or grab one off the Internet. Alternatively, the GM might develop one using the guidelines in the Gamemastering section. Pick an evening or a weekend afternoon or some other convenient time when you and your friends can spend a few hours playing the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. Decide on how much time you want to spend playing. (Two to four hours is a good length for a game session.) Where should you play the game? Anywhere that's comfortable. The place should have a flat surface to roll dice on, such as a kitchen table. The GM sits so that the other players can't look over their shoulder or peek at their adventure notes. The GM needs enough room to spread out notes and statistics they might have for the game session, including adventure notes, a battle map, miniatures, a pencil or pen, and their dice. General Advice The first couple of game sessions you play might be a little uneven as everyone learns how the game works and gets comfortable with the idea of roleplaying. Remember that these rules are guidelines, a framework and structure for playing Star Wars adventures in a roleplaying game environment. A roleplaying game is a living game; it evolves and develops as you play it. If something isn't working for your group, and the entire group agrees, make a change. But wait until you've played a few times with the official rules before you decide to tinker. Example Roleplaying Session You and your friends have reviewed the basic rules and created 1st-level characters. Your Gamemaster has reviewed the rules and is ready to run her first adventure. You've agreed upon a time and place to play. Then the time arrives and the game begins! Sitting around the table, with dice and snacks scattered in all directions, the players gather. Michele is the GM. She takes her place at the head of the table. Chris sits in the next seat; he's running Sia-Lan, a female Jedi. Next to Chris is Mike, practicing his Wookiee sounds to inject a little authenticity into his character, Rorworr the Scout. Across the table, Penny makes some last-minute notes to her Character Sheet, adding a little more detail to Vor-en the Soldier. Next to Penny, Brian anxiously waits to get started. He's running Deel Surool, the crafty Scoundrel. Michele has selected a number of Star Wars miniatures from her collection to use in tonight's game. The figures will help the players visualize the action in certain situations and will speed along play. She's got a miniature to represent each of the players' characters, and she places them in the middle of the table. She leaves a few others hidden on the floor beside her. She'll use these later to represent opponents that will challenge and compete with the heroes. Michele doesn't have a specific character for herself. While the players each run a single hero, the Gamemaster narrates the story, adjudicates the rules, and plays all of the GM characters- the supporting cast that serves as allies and opponents for the heroes. Anyway, it looks like everyone's ready to get started. Michele answers a few last-minute rules questions, then begins the game. '''Michele (GM): ''A long'' time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... it is the time of the Republic, about twenty-two years before the days of the Empire and the first Death Star battle station. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine leads the Republic, Mace Windu and Yoda lead the Jedi Council, and the start of the Clone Wars is still a few weeks away. You're in a spaceport cantina on Corellia, a prominent world in the Galactic Core. The place is pretty busy for a weekday afternoon, though it's not packed to capacity. You see Humans and a variety of other Species drinking, laughing, and talking quietly near the bar, in shadowy booths, and at a scattering of freestanding tables. Among those you see are the other players' characters. Why don't you each take a moment to describe yourselves? Chris (Sia-Lan): ''You see a young women with brown hair sitting alone in one of the booths. She's sipping a clear liquid and watching the crowd. Her hairstyle and outfit mark her as a Jedi. She's a Padawan learner, if any of you know anything about the specifics of the Jedi order. She has a Lightsaber hanging at her side, but it's probably hidden beneath the table.'' Mike (Rorwrorr): ''There's a young male Wookiee standing at the bar. He's exchanging words with the bartender. He's tall, but perhaps a bit thin when compared to other Wookiees you may have seen. He's got a Bowcaster slung across his back, and he's nursing a mug of some foamy liquid.'' Penny (Vor'en): ''My character sits in a corner booth, his back to the wall as he nonchalantly studies the crowd. He's got dark eyes and an intense gaze, and he looks strong and capable. He's wearing bits and pieces of light body armor. If he has any weapons- and you're sure he does- they're either hidden under the table or in the booth's darker shadows.'' Brian (Deel): ''You also see a young Twi'lek- you know, the guys with the head-tails, like Bib Fotuna- sitting at one of the tables in the middle of the room. He's playing sabacc with a few of the spacers, and it looks like he's begun to amass more than his share of credits.'' Michele (GM): ''Okay. You've all noticed each other, but you don't know each other yet. Before anything else happens, why don't each of you make a Perception check for me?'' The players each roll a d20 and add their Perception skill modifier to get a result. If a character doesn't have the Perception skill as a Trained Skill, the player still gets to apply their Wisdom modifier (If any) to the roll. After all the players have made the skill check, they let the GM know the results. Chris (Sia-Lan): ''Sia-Lan got a 15.'' Mike (Rorworr): ''17 for Rorworr!'' Penny (Vor'en): ''I rolled an 8.'' Brian (Deel): ''The amazingly perceptive Deel Surool got a 22.'' Michele consults her notes, checking to see what the DC for the Perception check is. She nods and makes a note or two, just to keep the players guessing. Michele (GM): ''Vor'en the Soldier, even though he's watching the room, fails to notice something that the rest of you successfully spot. The rest of you see a Human male who looks a lot like Senator Alastar Treen of Corulag. He's dressed like most of the other spacers in the cantina, and he's deep in conversation with a Rodian female.'' Just then, you all see the cantina doors slide open as a group of tough-looking thugs enters the room. The bartender yells, "Hey, no blasters in here!" He ducks behind the bar, just in time, as one of the thugs casually fires a blaster bolt in his direction. There are four thugs- two Humans, a Rodian, and Gamorrean. The Gamorrean wields a Vibroblade, and the other three are armed with Blaster Pistols. The Gamorrean grunts something foul and gestures toward the table were the senator is sitting. "For the Separatists!" shouts one of the Humans with a sneer as he prepares to target Senator Treen. Everyone make an Initiative check! The players each roll a d20 and add their Initiative skill modifier to get a result. If the character doesn't have the Initiativeskill as a Trained Skill, the player skill gets to apply their Dexterity modifier (If any) to the roll. Michele rolls a single Initiative check for the group of thugs, and one for the disguised Senator and his companion. Chris (Sia-Lan): ''Sia-Lan'' got an 18. Mike (Rorworr): ''10 for Rorworr!'' Penny (Vor'en): ''Vor'en got a 12.'' Brian (Deel): ''The fast acting Deel Surool got a 15.'' Michele writs down the Initiative Order, from highest to lowest. She jots down: Sia-Lan- 18 Deel- 15 Thugs- 13 (Her roll) Vor'en- 12 Rorworr- 10 Senator 7 (Her roll) Michele (GM): ''The thugs look like they're gunning for the Senator. Sia-Lan, what are you going to do?'' Chris (Sia-Lan): ''I leap out of the booth and position myself between the Senator and the thugs as my first Move Action. As my second Move Action I draw my Lightsaber. As my Free Action, I activate the Lightsaber and shout, "This man is under the protection of the Jedi Knights!"'' Michele (GM): ''Your Lightsaber hums to life. Deel, you're next. What are you going to do?'' Brian (Deel): ''Helping a Senator and a Jedi could be profitable. Deel tips his table over and crouches behind it to get some cover. I guess that's a Move Action. Then he pulls out his blaster for his second Move Action.'' Michele (GM): ''When the table crashes onto it's side, sabacc card-chips and credits scatter across the floor. The spacers you were playing with dive for cover.'' Brian (Deel): ''Oops, I forgot about the sabacc game in all the excitement. No matter I guess. Most of the credits belong to Deel anyway.'' Michele (GM): ''The thugs act next. The two Humans each take a shot at the Jedi who's standing between them and the Senator. The Rodian thug takes a shot at Deel, and the Gamorrean rushes forward to slice at the Jedi with his Vibroblade.'' Chris (Sia-Lan): ''I'm going to use the table next to me to protect myself from the blaster shots.'' Michele (GM): ''Sure, that gives you Cover against all the thugs, by increasing your Reflex Defense by +4.'' Michele makes the attack rolls for the two thugs. The first gets an 11. The second one gets a 19. Sia-Lan's Reflex Defense when she uses cover to protect herself is 19. That means she blocks the first bolt, but the second bolt goes through. Michele rolls 3d6 damage for the successful Blaster Pistol attack. The total is 11. Sia-Lan has 22 hit points, so the attack reduces her hit points to 11. The rest of the round continues, with Michele finishing up the thug's actions, then Vor'en, Rorworr, and Senator Treen acting in turn. Each round plays out in this order until one side or the other is defeated or flees. Then the heroes would get a chance to meet each other and find out why the Senator is in disguise and under attack. And so begins this Star Wars adventure!